What can we learn from the Trump win?


There was no landslide, at least not in the popular vote, which is where public mood is to be identified. In fact, more people voted for Clinton. Therefore, more people wanted much of the same, the status quo was working for them or they felt safer away from Trump’s racist misogynist speech. Black people and the young voted in droves for Hillary.

Those who felt they didn’t want more of the same or felt what they had been entitled to had been taken away from them voted in numbers for Trump, mostly older voters and white people.

What has been shown is there is a huge number of people who feel they have nothing to lose and will vote for change in whatever form that takes.

Trump supporters say they voted for a strong President, someone they felt wouldn’t compromise the nation’s position, someone who would put them first. In a more globalised yet very unequal world where nations have closer relationships and people move around more than ever before I understand people’s unease about this. In reality this sometimes fails people and whole nations badly while there are successes. Like most things nothing is wholly bad or good and people can feel they get a raw deal. This can’t be swept under the carpet as this election shows too well. Those who feel left behind are angry at feeling others have been put ahead of them in whatever undeserving way is specific to their situation. This feeling can be very dangerous and yet completely understandable. Trump has a chance to get the economy going again (plan as yet not known) and unite his people. He won the election by dividing them, although I feel they were probably already divided, and by the people who feel left behind getting their leader elected hopefully he can give them, and the whole nation, what they need in a positive way. Here’s hoping.

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